UTILIZING REMOTE SENSING VIDEOS TO ENHANCE GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION

Geoscience education and communication relies heavily on static imagery, as many geologic processes, such as diagenesis or tectonic processes are far too slow to observe with video. Some processes, such as turbidites are generally too fast, rare, or inaccessible to capture with video. Publicly available remote sensing data has traditionally been used in geoscience education, but rarely in video form, as educators have not always had access to videos, or known where to look, or how to create them. This project shows a method of creating satellite-derived timelapse videos, which provides an effective tool to capture decadal-scale to seasonal-scale geomorphologic processes on video, and an interpretive overlay which can greatly enhance communication and education of earth surface dynamics.

This under-utilized educational tool could be incorporated into every level of geoscience education, especially with tailor-made accompanying commentary to match the comprehension level of the audience. To improve outreach and access, a database of public YouTube videos is being created for educators and the public to use, which will be released on an ongoing basis. These will feature geologists providing plain-language instruction on geologic processes. Featured geologic environments will include videos on fluvial processes, barrier island development, coastal erosion, volcanic hazards, eolian environments, deltas, and glaciers.

The benefits of these videos and their associated distribution are threefold: 1) Youth education: Improved communication through these videos will serve to bolster educator content, improve student engagement, and increase comprehension of geological processes. 2) Public engagement: Plain language commentary also serves to improve public interest in geology, as these complex geologic processes are explained in a simple, concise, and visual way. 3) Post-secondary education: Professors have been requesting such videos for use in post-secondary lectures, and this provides a more effective distribution option than individual file sharing. Observing these processes in real world examples improves comprehension when compared to textbook descriptions of models. The overall result is a simple, yet significant contribution to communication and education in the geoscience community.